Tube-cutting machine.



S. B. IVIcGUNIGAI.. n TUBE CUTTING MACHINE` APPLICATION FILED JULY I3. 1917. 1,297,203. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S. B, MCGUNIGAL.

TUBE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLlcATIoN FILED JULYI3,19|7.

l ,297,203 Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S. B. MCGUNIGAL. uBE cufm MACHINE.

v APPLICATION FILED JULY I3, 1917. 1,297,203. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

3 i 3 ...ulmm ...HQI 1 i y m wuentoz Qi/lmeog l I earns ran SYLVESTER B. MCG'UNIGAL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE STONE STRAW COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

'TUBE-CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 11, 19519.

Application led .Tuly 13, 1917. Serial No. 180,303.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER B. MGGUN- IGAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at #1300 11th street S. E., in the city of Washington, and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention, has reference, generally, to cutting machines; and, the invention relates more particularly, to an improved machine for severing tubes.

The invention has for its principal objects to provide a. tube cutting machine which will out a continuous tube as fed therethrough in-to a plurality of smaller lengths or sections.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for intermittently moving the cutting mechanism of the machine into and out of engagement with the continuous tube to be severed at predetermined periods, consequently, insuring the production of tubes of approximately uniform length.

rlhe invention also aims to provide a novel cutting mechanism, whereby, the continuous tube when engaged thereby will be cut evenly and clean, tearing of the tube, caused by the motion thereof through the machine and uneven cutting being obviated by the arrangement of the cutting mechanism.

Other objects relate to consideration of economy of production, durability in use, and convenience in operation of the several mechanisms or parts entering into the conmen-ts, and still other features reside in the l constructional characteristics of the particular elements herein disclosed as the preferred instrumentalities through which to realize such coperative relationships and general organizations.

One embodiment of the subject matter of Similar characters of reference vare em-v ployed in all lof the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now more specifically to the several figures of the said drawings, my improved cu-tting machine may be said to embody the vusual-bed indicated in its entirety by the numeral 1, the upper face of which is substantially flat and has arranged thereon a second-ary bed plate 2 provided with a pair of longitudinally extending relatively parallel'guide ways or tracks 2', the said second-ary bed plate being secured to the upper face ofthe bed l through the medium of bolts 3, which bolts are passed through apertured lugs 4 formed upon the outer sides of the secondary bed plate 2, the bolts, as will be obvious, being engaged with the machine bed l. Movable top plates 5 are ar.- ranged upon the upper portions ofthe guide tracks 2 and are secured in position by means of a plurality of locking bolts 6, the said bolts being carried by the respective guide tracks and have turned into engagement with their threaded extremities, suit-v of the machine bed 1 by set screws 8 or the y like and `serves as means for rotatably supporting a. large spiral gear 9, the said gear being provided with a stub shaft 10 which is seated within ythe bearing opening ofthe 'block 7 A portion of the outer end ofthe bearing block 7 is cut away, as at 11, the

purpose of which will be presently apparent.

A drive shaft 12 is mounted within bearings formed upon the lower portion of the machine bed as indicated by the numeral 13 and extends from a suitable p-rime mover. A small spiral gear 14 is keyed to the said drive shaft and meshes with the spiral gear 9, thus, causing the same to be rotated when the shaft 12 receives its driving motion.

A vertically disposed bearing slee fe or pillar 15 is passed through a suitable opening in the top portion of the machine bed l and is secured in position thereupon by means of an annularflange 16, which flange is provided with a plurality of circularly disposed openings, whereby set screws 17 may be turned into engagement with the same and also with the adjacent portion of the machine bed. in offset bearing arm 18 is formed integral with the upper extremity -of the bearing sleeve or pillar 15 and has arranged therein, preferably, intermediate its ends, a suitable bearing opening, which l shall indicate by the numeral 19 and shall hereinafter more fully describe the purpose of the same. A shaft :20 is mounted within the bearing sleeve or pillar 15 and carries upon its opposite extremities small bevel gear 21 and a somewhat larger bevel gear 22, the latter, as will be noted, being arranged upon the upper extremity of said shaft 20. A bevel gear 23, of suitable size is keyedv to the drive shaft 12 and meshes with the bevel gear 21, consequently, imparting rotary motion to the vertically disposed shaft 20 upon similar movement of the said drive shaft.

Referring no w to the improved cutting mechanism of my machine, l mount for rcciprocable movement upon the guide trachs 2 a frame 2li, securing the saine upon the said guide tracks by means of the removable top plate The frame 2l carries thereon a secondary and vertically disposed frame 25, which, has a portion of the inner faces of the sides thereof grooved as at 26 in order that a cutter supporting head 2T having guide lugs formed thereon and adapted for engagement with the grooves 26 may be received by the same. rlhe lower portion of the head 2T is bifurcated as at 2S and normally rests or bears upon the frame" 2e to permit connection of means for raising and lowering the same at. the proper intervals, which means will be more fully described hereinafter. A brace arm 29, may be and preferably is formed integral with the frame 2e and extends diagonally upward into pronimity of the secondary frame 25, whereat, it is engaged with the sides of the vertical or secondary frame 25, thus, trussing the same. straw guiding element 81, arranged upon the upper extremity of the frame and may be, if so desired formed integral therewith. Said guide is provided with a longitudinally extending substantially funnel shaped opening 32, through which the continuous tube to be cut is adapted to pass. A second guide element 33 having a downwardly bent portion, which portion is provided with an opening .therein aiined with the reduced portion of the opening 32, is secured to the guide element 31 by means of set screws 341 and will serve as means for bracing the tube during severing of the` same into uniform lengths. it is to be noted, that the downwardly bent portion of the guide 33 is arranged in spaced relation from the guide element 31. lflfithin the frame 2e, there is formed a slot of suiiicient size to permit the mounting of an idler 36 therein, while to one side of the said idler, there is formed a second slot, this slot being arranged in proximity to the lower portion of the vertically disposed frame 26 and receiving therethrough the lower portion of a roller 35, the said roller being journaled within suitable bearings in the lower eX- tremity of the bifurcated portion 28.

lilith' a view toward providing meansl whereby a reciprocating motion may be im parted to the frame Qi, a bearing pin or roller 37 is arranged eccentrically of the spiral gear 9 and is adapted to be received within an elongated slot G0 formed in a rock arm 3S, which roch arm is pivotally supported upon a suitable portion of the ma chine bed 1, as at 39 and extends upwardly to a point above the spiral gear 9, whereas it is provided with a forked or bifurcated portion i0, the said portion en'ibracing the idler 36, carried by frame 2i. Hence, upon rotation of the spiral gear 9, it will be appreciated, that the rotary motion thereof will be converted into a reciprocating'motion by means of .the rock arm 88 and through the medium of the connection of the said roch arm with the frame 24, a similar motion will in turn, be imparted thereto, consequently, causing` the reciprocation or sliding of the said frame together with the vertically disposed 'frame '25 carried thereon.

longitudinally extending driven shaft il is passed through the bearing openingv 19 formed in the arm 13 and extends forwardly and is connected by a universal joint i2 with an arbor 41" journaled in a bearing block 27 arranged in the head 27. A beveled gear i3 is splinedvto the driven shaft 41 and a laterally extending collar de, extends into the bearing opening 19 and has its opposite side portions engaged' by horizontally arranged bearing screws e5. locking nut il?) is arranged upon the outer end of the bevel r.gear hub and serves as means for positively preventing undue lateraliniovement of the bevel gear By so arranging the bevel gear el?) within the bearing opening 19, it is evident, that oscillatory movement of the driven shaft l1 is permitted. Upon the forward extremity of the arbor el', a reduced portion e? is formed and receives thereupon a disk cutter 48, the said cutter having portions of its opposite faces engaged by annular washers 50 and being secured upon the reduced portion e7 by means of a locking nut 51, which loching is lli.

memos turned into engagement with the threaded extremity of the reduced portion 47. As disclosed, the drive shaft 41 is mounted for oscillatory movement, and the arbor 41 is adapted to move vertically within the frame 25, thereby permitting the cutting disk to be moved past the reduced portion of the opening 32 within the straw or tube guiding element 31, .whereby, to allow proper cutting engagement of the same.

To intermittently bring the disk cutter 48 into engagement with the tube to be cut or severed, a second roller 52 is mounted eccentrically of the spiral gear 9 and in spaced relation from the roller 37 and is adapted to be intermittently engaged with a lever arm or trip lever 53, the said lever carrying a shoe 54 upon the free portion thereof and being pivotally engaged with the secondary bed plate 2 as at 55. Thus, as the roller 52 engages the trip lever 53, the said lever will, due to the size or diameter of said roller, be moved upwardly into engagement with the roller 36 carried upon the lower portion of the cutter head 27, thereby, momentarily raising the same and moving the disk cutter 48 into cutting engagement with the tube. By reason of the brief engagement of the roller 52 with the trip lever 53, it will be appreciated, that the moving of the disk cutter 48 to cutter engagement is but momentary and that when the roller 52 is disengaged from the trip lever 53, the said cutter will be permitted to drop or return to its inoperative or lowermost position. As a means for insuring a 4quick. return of the cutter7 I preferably provide in the upper end `of the bearing block 27 a bore 56'and insert vtherein a spiral spring 57 which is adapted 'to bear against the underside of the guide element 31. If it is desirable to .effect a slight vertical adjustment of the cutter 48 relative to the opening in the straw guide shims 58 may be slid in between the head and bearing block as disclosed. During the engagement of the disk cutter 48 with the tube being fed or directed through the guide element 31it is evident that movement of the said disk cutter with the tube4 been completed. As the one cutting operation is completed the frame 24, will by its reciprocal mounting, be instantly returned to its initiative starting position ready for a second or further cutting operation.

A second straw guiding element 59 is mounted within a suitable opening formed in the upper portion of the arm 18 and is provided with a funnel like opening therethrough, complemental to the opening 32 in the-guide element 31. Thus, the con'- tinuous tube will be properly directed into engagement with the funnel shaped opening of the guide element 31.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparent widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted, as hereinbefore intimated, as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood, that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the same, which, as a matter, of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. The combination with a main frame, a horizontally and a vertically reciprocating frame, and a flexible reciprocatlng shaft carrying a cutter disk, of a wheel, two rollers carried thereby, a slotted bifurcated lever in the slot of which one of the rollers operates, rollers carried by both the horizontal and vertical reciprocating frame, one of said rollers operating in the bifurcated portion ofthe lever and a trip lever in position to be operated by one of the rollers on the'wheel which in turn engages the roller on the vertically reciprocating frame to force the cutter disk laterally to 'cut any article in its path at a predetermined time. 2. The combination with two frames, a main frame, a bearing block, a flexible shaft rotatably supported in wthe main frame and the bearing block and reciprocable in said main frame, a cutter disk on4 said flexible shaft, a roller ycarried by each movable frame', of a Wheel having means thereon and operated thereby to cause the rollers on the twov movable frames to be engaged at predetermined intervals to cause said frames to move in their prescribed paths. In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

SYLVESTER B. MCGUNIGAL. 

